Every year the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA), a worldwide association of photo and imaging magazine editors, meets to pick the Best of Class in a wide range of photo categories. As the sole US member of the association, Shutterbug joins editors from Europe, Asia, and Africa in the nominating, judging, and selection process. One of the most exciting aspects of photography today is the constant advancement of technology and design, and this year’s Top Products reflect that spirit and those accomplishments, including new categories of Video D-SLR and Mobile App. Editor George Schaub joins all fellow TIPA members in congratulating those selected to receive the prestigious TIPA award. (To learn more about TIPA, please visit the website at: www.tipa.com.)

Every year member magazines from the Technical Image Press Association (TIPA) gather to consider and vote on the top products of the year in 40 categories, ranging from cameras to tripods to software and printers. This year’s selections represent technological sophistication along with features and functionality that make them leaders in their respective categories.

The new Canon G1 X quite an extraordinary camera. It has thecompact body of a high-end point and shoot camera with a large CMOS 18.7x14mm sensor delivering 14 MP. This sensor is larger than Micro Four Third sensors (17.3x13 mm) in Panasonic or Olympus CSC cameras.

For a compact camera, the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark II has a large image sensor; in fact, it is slightly larger than the sensor found in Micro Four Thirds cameras. The G1 X II offers a moderate resolution of 13 megapixels, with maximum resolution in images with an aspect ratio of 4:3. By default, however, the camera is set to an aspect ratio of 3:2 that delivers slightly less image resolution.

At first glance, the new Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III appears to be either a not-quite-pocketable compact camera or an extremely svelte mirrorless model with a built-in zoom lens. And if you squint your eyes, it even resembles a miniature DSLR.

In the report on the Canon PowerShot G11 (April, 2010, available at www.shutterbug.com) I concluded by saying that it was “an excellent traveling companion.” Ditto on the new G12 ($499, MSRP), the latest iteration of the Canon “G” line of integral lens cameras aimed at the photo enthusiast. In fact, you could ditto many of the form, function, and features of the G12 with the G11, so I will not...

The Canon G15 follows the G12. The new model has a massive, robust, and heavy body and has major changes from its predecessor.
The G15 is Canon’s newest high-end compact system with a 12MP sensor (1/1.7”), a large LCD screen, and a lot of manually controlled image parameters. It allows the user to shoot Full HD video.

When I first heard about the Canon PowerShot G3 X ($999), I fully expected that I was going to hate it. Could there really be a good reason for someone to buy a compact camera stuffed with a 25x (24-600mm equivalent) zoom lens? After all, how often does the average photographer go from wide angle to superzoom to warrant the size and weight that a lens like that requires?

The new PowerShot G5 X is based on the same sensor system as the G7 X. It uses a 1-inch sensor (BSI technology) with 20MP and a professional 3:2 aspect ratio. Compared to the G7 X, the G5 X has a lot of new and additional features, including a high-resolution electronic viewfinder with 2.36 million RGB dots that is based on OLED technology. By default, the viewfinder offers a frame rate of 30 frames per second, being the most efficient power-saving mode.

I was really excited to get my hands on Canon’s latest G-series camera, the PowerShot G7 X. In fact, I was looking for this camera to replace my current point-and-shoot because I’d wanted something that was still pocket-size, but with Raw capture, a feature lacking in my own camera. And the G7 X was a more economical alternative to a mirrorless model, which would also tempt me with its array of extra lenses and accessories.

The Canon SX40 HS is a compact bridge camera with an extreme zoom lens. It offers focal length settings between 24mm and 840mm (35mm film camera equivalent), which allows users to shoot nice wide-angle shots to extreme telephoto images. Adjusting the zoom lens between 24mm and 300mm is easy and allows a nearly continuous setup of the desired field of view. However, zooming between 500mm and 840mm requires more work.

The robust and relatively heavy body of the Canon SX50 HS has a metal-based chassis and is designed like a small SLR system. A large handle on the right-hand side of the body gives a stable grip and allows for comfortable handling when shooting. The motorized zoom lens is controlled via an easy-to-use zoom switch; focal length selection is quite sensitive to the touch.

Note From The Editor
Our criteria for doing a test on an integral lens camera is whether or not we think it would be a camera that a seasoned photographer could appreciate and use as a second body to back up a D-SLR, or even as the sole camera on a trip where a D-SLR would be cumbersome or burdensome. The camera in question should have many of—but not all—the...